Just thought I'd share this photo with you, I found it while re-arranging my bookshelves trying to make space for my vases.

For three and half years this was my job, I drove this Wabco truck 200 toner (carrying capacity, supposedly!!) round an iron ore mine in the top end of Pilbara region of Western Australia. I used to wake up each morning looking forward to going to work. That's me sitting waaaayyeee!! up there! - waiting to be picked up and in one of the shovels that used to load me.

The company I worked for was BHP and it had a huge open cut mine in Newman, a small mining town on the edge of the mine set up especially and only for mining personnel.

This has been taken from Wikipedia...

BHP's operations in Newman date back to 1968, when the Mount Whaleback mine was opened, the biggest single-pit Open-pit iron ore mine in the world, developed originally by United States company Bechtel Pacific. A new town, Newman, was constructed, as well as a 426 kilometre railway line, the Mount Newman railway. The first train left Newman on 1 January 1969 and the first shipment of Newman ore left port on 1 April 1969 on board of the Osumi Maru.[6] Newman remained a "closed" company town until 1981.[4]

inky, 5 years agoHi Kerry10456!... Thank you for for the love and stopping to comment!....:-)

inky, 5 years agoHello jonima! I loved every sinle second of it, thanks for the love and stopping by!....:-)

inky, 5 years agoblunderbuss2...;)... helloo! ;)...lol!.. I never had any trouble with getting someone to change a tyre if I got a flat, being the only girl in a shift of 150-ish men!!!....;-) thanks for the love and stopping to comment!....:-)

walksoftly, 5 years agoGreat photo's!
You must have been the talk of Newman, being the only woman on shift!
Must have been a bummer getting into your regular vehicle after driving that!

Justanovice, 5 years agoWould't like to reverse that baby!!! What a cool woman you are inky!! Very impressed - and 150 MEN - YEAH!!

inky, 5 years agoHello walksoftly!......it was a bit deflating going from one to the other, took me a while to remember there wasn't a ladder on my Californian mini !..:-).. girls came and went on the shift, but! sadly decided to act like one of the boys to try and fit in, it wasn't appreciated by them and in the end left. I kept my femininity and closed my ears to men type stuff and found that in the end I was excepted and protect by 95% of them against the macho one that thought I shouldn't be there, I loved it!...:-)

inky, 5 years agomusikchoo...any way I!!!... wanted to...lol! thanks for the love and and stopping!...:-)

And petey for the love...:-)

walksoftly, 5 years agoHi Inky
This reminds me of the movie North Country with Charlize Theron, excellent movie.
Now many mining companies prefer women drivers over men as they are easier on the trucks, less maintenance.
Kudos to you for showing them you could do the job your way.
I would love to drive one of those trucks.

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoSo what kind of muscle drives those wheels? Hope you have power steering! What is the dia. of them?

thisoldwatch, 5 years agoI would love to borrow this, it may end road rage forever. As Crocodile Dundee would say, "no mate, this is a truck". thanks for sharing.

Manikin, 5 years agowow inky your mighty brave ! what a amazing job and your so tiny .
Hope all is well with you :-)))))))))) xox

inky, 5 years agoHi! Blunderbuss2... a bit of info for you...It has a cubic capacity of 126.8 litres, producing 2475 brake horse power, when full it has a diesel fuel capacity of 2650 litres, weighing in at 190,000 Kg's empty. Carried a payload of 212,200 Kg's. It's Gross weight was 402,200 Kg's and If I remember correctly each tyre back then cost around $10.000.00 each, and yes! power steering....:-)

I don't think you would think I was your kind of woman after I had boxed up all your manly macho type stuff and re-placed them with all my 'glass vases', brushed the floors hung pretty gingham curtains every where and had fresh flowers in all the rooms!...:-) you sound like you'd like a woman who could open a bottle of beer with her thighs which she had just taken out of the ice cooler she has strapped to her back full of your beer and while doing this skinning a rabbit ready to cook over an open fire!...:-) ...lol!...:-)

inky, 5 years agoHello thisoldwatch!... yes! I think it would certainly help, no room for anyone else..Ha ha!...:-)

inky, 5 years agoMilitarist it was good having a flat because they all ways took ages to get to you, and I always had a good book handy, and a cup of tea in my flask...;-)

inky, 5 years agoHi! Walksoftly... Thank you so much for your kind words, I do appreciate them.. I did see that film and I also thought it was very good, thankfully not anywhere as bad as that most of the guys I worked with were real gentlemen.. well around me anyway!...:-)

walksoftly, 5 years agoHi Inky, I'm glad you didn't have to put up with the crap like that portrayed in the movie.

Can't wait to see what B'buss has to say about your comment on glass vases... lol

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoYou do sound like my kind of woman if I didn't think the thing about the beer cooler etc. was a joke. Problem is you don't sound depressive. I seem to be a bi-polar, manic depressive magnet when it comes to girls. Beginning to wonder if I make them that way.
I had some v-asses which are called artillery shell cases. They have now been de-v-ass'd and I call them lamps now.
Really impressed with the machine!

walksoftly, 5 years agoI doubt it, he'll be back with some wisecrack that I'm sure of!

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoA v-ass has no moving parts, doesn't gain more character with age, rust, form a nice patina, have an exciting past or go boom, - unless you shoot it. They are also too expensive for targets.

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoAnd you can only shoot them once so getting a 3 shot grouping is impossible!

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoI'm trying to mellow but we don't have Walmart's or K-mart's here so I can buy good quality V-asses. Maybe I can find some old 2-300 yr old ones to put on a shelf but they might have chips or be faded. (sorry, only K-mart v-asses fade I hear). Do need somebody to put flowers in them. That is what you put in them? At least we have flowers year round.
Been a fun poste.

inky, 5 years agoA lovely vase even with a chip in is still a lovely vase, and one day you never know I might be able to put some flowers in one for you!..:-) you make me smile and laugh blunderbuss2, anybody that!! can do that is special...:-)

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoGetting carried away aren't we! Inky has to put flowers in them. I might be easy, but I'm not cheap! Actually, I'm easy & cheap. Just ask my friends. I certainly don't know how to select a v-ass.

walksoftly, 5 years agoI think CW is softening him up a bit, smoothing off the rough edges so too speak ;-)

inky, 5 years agoI think you might be right , not to smooth though!! ;-)))))

walksoftly, 5 years agoDon't remove the patina just wipe off a bit of the dust!

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoMe in situ will definitely get a laugh. I thought about getting into body building, but after looking in a full view mirror, - decided that I need to find a better construction site.

clockerman, 5 years agoPolar Bears are awesome... My brothers and sisters (11) and some of the neices and nephews,(23),,we have been doing the New Years Day Polar Bear swim at Coney Island for the last 5 or 6 years so alas thats me at least one day a year. AND YES IT IS FREEZING,,,,but it renews my life and spirit for another year.
How fast did those big babies go?

inky, 5 years agoBrrrr!....I will be thinking of you...lol!.. I watched on TV the other night a program on the largest whales in our ocean, they were so clever and gentle I couldn't stop myself from crying, it was so beautiful!

Speed of truck..I can't really remember it was a while ago, but! I think about 30 kph, unless fully loaded going down hill with brake failure, NOW!! I can tell you that!! was probably as invigorating as you New Years swim...:-)

clockerman, 5 years agoHAHAHAHAH YEAH BABY
CANT LIVE WITHOUT LIVING,,,LIKE SOMEONE SAID.
THIS AINT A REHEARSAL,,,WE ONLY LIVE ONCE.
LOOK FOR ME ON TV,,,,I AM THE JERK WEARING THE GOLD SPARKLING BOWLER WITH THE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE.
lOVE THOSE TRUCKS

inky, 5 years agoGad! I soooo! agree... no not a jerk... a fun loving don't give a dam... person, and thanks!..:-)...Merry Cristmas

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoMerry Christmas inky. Don't have a Walmarts or Kmart here so can't get a Christmas v-ass for you.

inky, 5 years agokerry10456 ~ blunderbuss2 ~ Manikin...Thank you so much and to you all too! ours started with a bang, shake, rattle and rumble!.. we had two earth quakes 20klm straight out of shore (we live walking distance to the beach) 5.0 and 4.1 spooky...:-/

blunderbuss2, 5 years agoHappy New Year again. I didn't feel anything inky! Better tie down those v-ass's! We get them over here too.

DrFluffy, 5 years agoThis is the coolest ever... I work for the yellow "Earth Moving" company (shall remain nameless)... And I LOVE BIG MACHINES... Unfortunately I don't get to drive them, but I LOVE my company and what we do!!

inky, 5 years agoThank you DrFluffy I loved my job too...it was a fun..and extremely well paid time!...sigh!...:-)

toolate2, 3 years agoI was trying to find these pictures just the other day. A friend was talking about how big some of these earth movers where and I thought of you! Great pics... I had to love them again!

inky, 3 years agoThank you toolate2 for loving and taking the time to comment again...and for all the other loves....I do appreciate them.....:-)

cornhusker, 3 years agoThis picture made the laugh at myself......many times one get preconceived ideas, well, the name inky did. I once had a friend name Inky, a dark-haired happy fellow. So, I formed the picture in my mind based on a prior acquaintance...and here you are a pretty blonde haired lass.....LOL

inky, 3 years agoHello! cornhusker ...Thank youuu!!!!...I do love your name...living rural..
I think most people think I am a chap!...but that's ok!...I love the reactions when they find out I'm not...Inky was a name a of a wonderful man my father in law knew and I just loved it so borrowed it!....:-)

blunderbuss2, 3 years agoLuv when this poste pops up! (just now got a little quake here!) We have an Ace Hardware now, so maybe they sell rare beautiful target, -er, v-asses but rather doubt it. My best to you & Ralph! Is my room ready yet? LOL!!

inky, 3 years agoHi-agh! blunder...still working on it!..nearly there!..just give us a date and we will get a push on with it!..

blunderbuss2, 3 years agoNo rush Penny. Can come with those friends from NZ who have a home near you. Of course we would be sailing & they are planning on taking their time wandering around the S. Pacific. Maybe a year? Via the Strait of Magellan!! I'm getting queasy at the thought!!

welzebub, 2 years agoI can not believe I missed this before, although I have to say I am not surpised by it at all!

My brother is a mechanic who works on equipment like this and the equipment that processes the ore in gold mines.

blunderbuss2, 2 years agoPenny, you are just irresistible to us! LOL!!

Caperkid, 2 years agoVery cool inky I'll post a picture of the shovel they use at a gold/copper mine near by biggest piece of equipment I've ever seen.

ralph, 2 years agoThanks inky and a Merry Christmas to you, I see you have just got back from your Sunday drive in your run about.

OneGoodFind, 2 years agoFew years late to the party Inky but it's still awesome!!
Makes me wonder what you are doing these days? Hopefully very well! :)
Love this!

blunderbuss2, 2 years agoThanks for bringing this back up OGF. Penny looks so cute beside that monster ! LOL !

roddyq, 9 months agoGreat photos inky. Bechtel was the first construction company I worked for in the Tar sands in Northern Alberta, Canada in the 1970's. We installed all the conveyor systems plus all the steel structures and worked on the huge draglines similar to the one in your 3rd photo. and mobile bucket wheels ( the bucket wheels fed the conveyors with more mixture sending the raw bitumen to the extraction buildings to be separated in the tumblers. The huge trucks were constantly bringing the rocks, sand etc. back to fill the huge holes left by the draglines that had been separated from the bitumen in the huge tumblers back from the rejects ( more conveyors ). The trucks were huge and the ladies who drove them did an excellent job.
This post brings back many good memories ( have to forget about the very cold winters lol. )

shareurpassion, 9 months agoHeeeeyyy!!!! Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' bout!!! I didn't know you belonged to the BAB club too!!! haha This one beats me 10 times over! A rig must look teensy next to this ;) So cool!

inky, 9 months agoHi roddyq..I pleased it brought back good memories for you, and you also for me and does when ever someone brings this photo back up!.. it was a very good time in my life when I I loved going to work each day, the only time I was ever a little concerned about was not when it was cold as they were warm inside the cabs, it was when it was wet from rain or the water trucks if they had just gone trough and it was slippery..the edge was never that far away from the side of the trucks....and the mine was very deep...:-/..

boysfarm, 9 months agoLoved seeing the old Wabco. I drove them and Electra Haul in Elkford for Fording Coal Cominco. Going downhill we could override the brakes and get it up to 35 miles and hour!!! I had a buckle from them read " Moving The Earth For The Good Of Mankind" Doing donuts in winter. Crazy Canucks.

inky, 9 months agoThe guys used to all that sort of stuff as well..not this little girl..:-)).. the fastes I ever went and ever wanted to go again was loosing my breaks going down hill..:-/..